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Guide To Holiday Volunteering

During the holiday season, it’s important to remember those in need. One important way is to give back to the community and in Baltimore there are a ton of ways to do it. But planning ahead is key. From animal rescue to serving food, here is a list of a few places to volunteer this holiday season and how you can give back.

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Believe in Tomorrow Children’s House at Johns Hopkins Hospital

The Believe in Tomorrow’s Children’s House at Johns Hopkins Hospital has a very family feel amongst its guests. The mission of the home is to provide a place for the families of children who are critical patients at the hospital. As a volunteer, one of the popular things to do at the home is to cook.

During certain times of the day, volunteers are invited to come in and cook everything from brownies to cookies for the patients and their families. If a group — mainly 3-5 people — wants to volunteer, they can be invited to cook dinner for the patients and their families as well.

To volunteer, go to the Believe in Tomorrow website and download an application. It’s also possible to come in for an interview by calling the home and talking with the volunteer department.

Photo Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

My Sister’s Place

My Sister’s Place opened in 2008 as a shelter to help Baltimore’s homeless women and children. In addition to offering free meals and shelter, it’s a great place to volunteer your time for a few hours a month. Each year more than 150,000 people will volunteer at the facility.

Volunteer opportunities are open to either an individual or group of people. In order to volunteer, browse the opportunities on the website. One of the most popular things to do is serve food during breakfast, lunch and dinner times, which are also available online.

Photo Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS)

BARCS is a nonprofit that was started in 2005 as a way to find homes for stray animals in Baltimore City. Working directly with the Baltimore Animal control, the organization takes in more then 12,000 stray animals a year and could use more volunteers to help care for them.

Volunteers will fill out an application and attend an orientation to learn about the job they want to help out with. You can choose from a variety of volunteer tasks including caretaker, grant writer and foster parent. Orientations are conducted monthly, so check the website for upcoming dates.

For a complete and detailed list of similar volunteer opportunities, check out Baltimore’s Volunteer Central.

Sara Blumberg is a freelance blogger living in Baltimore City. Visit her blog at sarabydesign.wordpress.com.